|
 Phegornis
mitchellii (Diademed Sandpiper-plover, chorlito cordillerano) is a breeding resident of Lauca Park and of altiplano
habitat outside of the park. The photo (right) of the chick
was digiscoped from the road CH11 in March 2002, by BK. Note the bright orange legs -- this is one way the birds are spotted.
This youngster which was one of two chicks, foraged non-stop while one of the parents foraged across the
bog, and the other sat still within 5 m of the chicks and emitted a
constant soft cheep, apparently a 
contact call to keep the "kids"
from
wandering. Note the raised effect of the head markings, or diadem, of the
adult,right.
The Diademed Sandpiper-plover is redlisted
as "near-threatened" by the IUCN.
As
of late August 2003: Sad news. The Diademed
Sandpiper-plover
pictured here in Lauca National Park has deserted its nesting site, after at least 6
years in the bog raising 2 clutches a season. Authorities
built a foot bridge near the site and several birders listed
specific details of the location on the internet trip
repositories. Groups of birders were seen walking out on the
bog and the plover has disappeared, possibly a fox followed the
human tracks to hunt the bird. There is no need to
walk on a cushion bog to observe the Diademed Sandpiper-plover, please stay on roads
or dry tola grassland areas adjacent to bogs. Cushion bogs are
fragile and your scent trails can lead predators to these rare
birds. All DSP photos on this web site were taken from the
road or from grasslands overlooking the bog. |
